Strict rule that will likely stop Prince Harry attending uncle’s funeral

According to sources, it's unlikely that Prince Harry will attend the funeral of his uncle Robert Fellowes next week due to strict rules.

The rules that will potentially affect his presence at the funeral come down to him now living in the United States.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle made the decision to move to Los Angeles following relentless scrutiny, offensive tabloids and family rifts within the Royal Family, with the two opening up in a bombshell Oprah interview in 2021, alongside the Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan.

It was revealed that Meghan had been questioned by a senior royal what colour her son's skin would be while she was pregnant.

Many people thought Meghan's inclusion into the Royal Family signalled a time of great change and hope due to her being a woman of colour - but this wasn't the case.

The Duke and Duchess now reside in LA with their two children and run the Archewell Foundation.

Sources say Harry is unlikely to attend the forthcoming funeral of his uncle as per the decisions of the Home Office to downgrade his security.

The Express reports: "A source revealed that while the Duke's UK-based friends are eager to spend more time with him, the requirement to give 28 days' notice before arriving in the country restricts his visits to special occasions or public events planned well in advance.

"The source added that the situation has become so bad Harry will likely miss his uncle Robert Fellowes' funeral next week because his team must notify the Home Office 28 days in advance of his plans to visit the UK to establish an appropriate security plan."

Fellowes passed away aged 82 on 29 July.

Harry and Meghan now live in LA. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+P)

The unnamed source added: "Harry didn't have plans to visit the UK this summer so when something last-minute arises like a funeral, it becomes a very difficult situation to navigate.

"Harry would like to spend more time in Britain, but it's a logistical nightmare for his team due to ongoing security issues."

Despite the rules, there have been occasions where Harry has flown to the UK for important dates.

He came back for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022, as well as making a trip to see his dad, King Charles III, following the news that he has cancer.

A spokesperson for the government stated: "The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.

“It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”